Update: The Tohono O’odham police department stopped shootout cyclists after receiving an anonymous complaint from a motorist.
Pima County Sheriff’s deputy Ryan Roher, who attends the Tucson-Pima County Bicycle Advisory Committee meetings, said the shootout groups were stopped by Tohono O’odham police, not Pima County deputies.
Roher said he spoke with the Tohono O’odham police department and was told a motorist complained that the ride was taking up both lanes of Mission and when the motorist passed the ride, several cyclists flipped him off.
According to Roher, the road is owned and maintained by Pima County, but the Tohono O’odham police can also stop and ticket road users.
It is unclear exactly what the officers said and that may be difficult to determine because they stopped and spoke to both groups of shootout riders.
The groups were stopped south of Valencia Road on Mission Road where the ride traditionally begins to pick up speed.
Were you on the ride? Anything else to add? Leave a comment in the comment section.
I was on the ride and you’ve received accurate information on what was said by the officer. Only addition, the officer was not at all nasty about this, he was quite professional in addressing us. There was an additional officer that commented to some of us after the first one spoke and he said that the concern was from Valencia down to the turn, because that is where the people live and the majority of the traffic … after the turn he said there was less traffic and less of a concern.
Thanks for the extra info!
I was on the ride and don’t think the information here is quite accurate. I don’t believe it was the Sheriff’s office that stopped us. The vehicle said something like Tohono something police on it. Also, they never specified “two abreast.” What was said was that we “have the right to be on the road but not the right to take up the lane.” One offensive thing that was said by the lead officer is that he cited two cases where 6 riders were hit on the shootout as to why we needed to ride more safely. I was on one of those rides where 6 were hit, and at the time we weren’t taking up the whole lane and in the end the driver was given a citation (much too linient if you ask me). The officer was implying that those 6 cyclists were at fault for getting hit, which they weren’t. Pretty offensive, I thought. Also, just because a community has monthly meetings with the police force and voices their complaints, doesn’t mean they are necessarily correct in those complaints. I think the riders of the shootout should be invited to those meetings. I see no way that this encounter is going to change the already safe way I ride the shootout. I refuse to put myself in danger somply because a police force doesn’t understand the dynamics of cycling.
I was on the Shootout and can confirm that it was a Sargent from the Tohono O’odham police department that stopped the group. He basically told us to ride two abreast and not obstruct traffic. He said this week was a warning and next week they’d start issuing citations.
I was on the (main) Shootout too, and can confirm the bulk of the information above. Although it was an inconvenience being stopped, in my opinion the Tohono O’odham officer was exceptionally professional and respectful. He did indeed say that they will start citing people for traffic violations next week, and if I recall correctly he specifically mentioned riding more than two abreast and “impeding traffic”.
I believe the meeting you are referring to is the Tucson-Pima Bicycle Advisory Committee (BAC). These meetings are open to the public and occur the 2nd Wednesday of each month (next one is Nov 10th), 6-8pm at the Himmel Park Library.
Chloe, I took Matthew’s comment about the meeting to mean the residents in the area meet with the Tohono O’odham police to voice their objections to the ride.
If so, I didn’t know there were meeting with the Tohono O’odham and the residents. Might be a good place to get together with the residents, though.
I could be totally off base, though.
You are correct. The meeting the officer was referring to seemed to be specifically between Tohono O’odham police and the residents in the neighborhood adjacent to that part of Mission, not the BAC. Also, I was in the “slow” shootout and am getting the idea that some of the information given differed slightly between it and the main ride.
[…] O’Odham police warned riders last week that they would begin citing cyclists who were riding more than two abreast this […]